POS0171 PATIENT-DOCTOR COMMUNICATION GAP - RESULTS OF A SPEED-SHOP ON “LUPUS FLARE” AT LUPUS2022 MEETINGS
Authors: A. Cornet, F. Marchiori, H. Stefánsdóttir, M. Mosca
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> The Patient – Doctor communication gap is often discussed, and is one of the obstacles pointed by patients and doctors alike in the fruitful co-working of optimal treatments. Recognizing the difference between doctors and patients approach when confronted to a lupus flare is critical to bridge this gap and increase the effectiveness of jointly agreed treatment plans. <h3>Objectives</h3> Identify potential discrepancies between patient and doctors discussion starting points when facing a lupus flare. Are they "talking the same thing?", "do they have similar concerns in their minds?" <h3>Methods</h3> As part of the SL Euro lupus 2022 congress 57 participants, doctors and patients, took part in a speed-workshop to identify first "what makes them identify an event as a lupus flare" and then their "key concerns when facing a lupus flare". Answers were provided on post-its of different colours per type of participants, forcing short answers focusing on key aspects. The commonalities and discrepancies where then identified for further handling. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 57 statements identifying a lupus flare were collected and classified assessable (visible/ measurable) items, or specific symptoms. The results highlighted that the communication difficulty between patients and doctors starts from the very feeling of what a flare is. 91% of patients include in their recognition of a flare a factor that cannot be "easily" objectivated by a doctor such as fatigue (59.1%), or pain (50%). Only 36% of patients include an externally visible factors, most often fever. In contrast, 88% of doctors require an externally visible/measurable factor to "identify" a flare. These 2 different starting points can create a first communication gap, as well as a difference in the qualification of an event as a flare or not. A total of 93 concerns, sorted in "huge", "big", or "mid" were collected from participants. These items could be classified in 4 key groups: concerns around daily life &amp; logistics; overall anxiety; symptoms and medication. When confronted to an event considered as a flare, patients have a perspective focusing on the impact of flares on their daily life and logistics (35% of huge concerns, 30% of all concerns), and face anxiety over disease/life in the future (30% of all concerns 19% of huge concerns); on the contrary the doctor's focus is on symptoms (67% of huge concerns, 46% of all concerns) and medications (29% of all concerns), with only 7% of the doctors focusing on the patients "immediate" daily life/logistics issues, and 18% on anxiety. This discrepancy of concern also hinders the patient-doctor communication. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Doctors and Patients starting points and concerns with regards to a lupus flare appear perfectly logical and fitting each individual's role in the relationship, with the doctor's primarily focused on the disease, and the patient on "how to live with it". However this different view may create an initial gap which needs to be bridged to enhance the therapeutic relationship. Acknowledging the existence of this gap is likely a first step towards an improved patient-doctor communication. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> NIL. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> NIL. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.